Charlotte County, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Overcharge fine
- $250 per violation, Sec. 1-10-279
- Enforcement
- Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Sec. 1-10-280
- Rate ceiling
- Set by BOCC resolution, Sec. 1-10-277(a)
- Records
- Mileage/price logs required, Sec. 1-10-278
- Truck class
- Billed at class actually needed, Sec. 1-10-277(c)
Summary
Charlotte County caps what tow operators can charge for nonconsensual towing, vehicle immobilization on private property, and wrecked-vehicle removal from accident scenes throughout the unincorporated county, under Sec. 1-10-276 and Sec. 1-10-277. The Board of County Commissioners sets the maximum rates by resolution, and operators who exceed them face a flat fine per violation.
The board shall establish by resolution the maximum fees which may be charged on the towing of vehicles from or immobilization of vehicles on private property, removal and storage of wrecked or disabled vehicles from an accident scene or for the removal and storage of vehicles, in the event the owner or operator is incapacitated, unavailable, leaves the procurement of wrecker service to the law enforcement officer at the scene, or otherwise does not consent to the removal of the vehicle.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 1-10-276 states the Board of County Commissioners intends to regulate the maximum price charged for nonconsensual towing services throughout unincorporated Charlotte County. Sec. 1-10-277(a) directs the board to set, by resolution, the ceiling on fees for towing or immobilizing a vehicle on private property, for removing and storing a wrecked or disabled vehicle from an accident scene, and for removing a vehicle whenever the owner is incapacitated, unavailable, or otherwise leaves the tow to the law enforcement officer at the scene, or does not consent to removal. The board can revise those rates up or down at any time.
Under Sec. 1-10-277(b), an operator cannot charge more than the resolution's maximum and cannot bill for any fee category the board has not separately authorized. Sec. 1-10-277(c) locks the rate to the class of tow truck actually required for the job, not the class the operator happened to send, so a heavier wrecker cannot be billed at its higher rate for a job a lighter truck could handle. Sec. 1-10-277(d) leaves room for a law enforcement agency to negotiate a lower contract price with a tow operator.
Sec. 1-10-278 requires every operator providing nonconsensual towing to keep records of mileage, services performed, and prices charged for each tow, and to hand those records to any law enforcement agency on request. Sec. 1-10-279 fines an operator two hundred fifty dollars for each instance of overcharging, and Sec. 1-10-280 puts enforcement in the hands of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
Violations & Fines
Charging above the board-set maximum, billing an unauthorized fee, or invoicing at a higher tow-truck class than the job required violates Sec. 1-10-277 and draws a $250 fine per violation under Sec. 1-10-279. The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office enforces the article under Sec. 1-10-280, and operators must produce mileage and pricing records to any law enforcement agency on request under Sec. 1-10-278.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sets the maximum tow rate in Charlotte County?
What happens if a tow company overcharges?
Can I request the tow company's records?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charlotte County
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